August 14 2009 COOLSITES Newsletter #230 Mark Donaldson

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NOW AVAILABLE FOR SAFARI USERS. This is what the COOLSITES Toolbar looks like. Click here for more info: http://luem42.com/toolbar.html Click here to get it: http://luem42.OurToolbar.com


I have published the August 14 2009 COOLSITES Newsletter #230 Mark Donaldson.

The following is an excerpt from this weeks newsletter. To see the full newsletter with all of the COOLSITES links please click and bookmark this link: http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html and check it each week. Thank you. Mark.


August 14 2009 COOLSITES Newsletter #230 Mark Donaldson


Major changes to this newsletter are coming soon

Google is discontinuing Google Pages and will be moving my archive to Google Sites. However their hosting rules will also change. My html files will not be allowed due to "security reasons". This means I would have to use Google's online webpage creation program which would be more time consuming for me and bigger webpages that load slower for you.

I have checked other free hosts and can not find any that will allow me to continue as before without cost. Therefore I will have to change things. What this will mean for subscribers is very little difference. What this will mean for non-subscribers who view the newsletter online and people accessing old newsletters, "Just The Links" and "Specialized Search Engines" webpages may be drastic. I will keep you informed. Mark.



Subscribers who don't receive the newsletter, due to stupid filters, may use a private link to download the newsletter in the text ( .txt ), html ( .html ) and the MS Word Doc ( .doc ) format in a zip file. I will upload the zip files to my archive site right after I send out the newsletter on Friday morning. If a subscriber doesn't receive the newsletter, by 9am ET, they can quickly download it, unzip it and peruse it offline. You can also read it online from there.

If you are a subscriber and don't know the private link you can email me for it. These zip files are less than 40K which is smaller than the 100K or more for the newsletter.

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Semper Gratis (forever free) of cost

COOLSITES is a list of safe, fun, useful, informative and just plain cool websites and programs that are FREE, FREE and FREE. All of the programs and websites I list are free. If I list anything that is so good but isn't free I will list the price with it.

My website is Dialup Friendly. All pages except "Just The Links" and "Specialized Search Engines" load up in under 15 seconds.

Wherever you go if you see the user name LUEM42 that's me
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Pirillo's Picks for February 13 2007

"And if you think that's a lot of links, you should see how many http://luem42.com/ collects every day. It's enough to make you wanna never leave the house again as long as you live" Yours Digitally, Chris Pirillo http://chris.pirillo.com/
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Clif Notes Newsletter, Feb 2007 http://freewarewiki.com/ClifNotes

"The COOLSITES Newsletter - find the coolest links here. This fella named Mark Donaldson has been sending out his lists of cool sites since 2003. I'd never heard of him before last week. One day I was Googling myself to see who was posting links to my newsletter, and I found his website. I guess he's mentioned my newsletter at least 3 times. I like the COOLSITES website too, but I think it could use some reformatting to make it a bit easier to read. What I really like is the content there. Mark must really read a lot of stuff on the web and he takes the best links then tells you about them." http://freewarewiki.com/CoolSitesNewsletter


Welcome to Clif Notes Newsletter
Aug 2, 2009

I'm back sooner than expected. Let me know if you have any problems at
viewing the newsletter.

Here are the headlines from this week's newsletter.

What free software do you need?
CurrPorts - Find Out Who Is Spying On You
How to Create Gradient Desktop Wallpapers
STP - Tiny but Full Featured MP3 Player
JHoodsoft Newsletter
Awesome photos from Tiffany
Internetfixes Weekend Windup
COOLSITES Newsletter

Latest newsletter http://freewarewiki.com/ClifNotesNewsletter090802
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Security News and Links

I get these links and news from good sources however I do not test the programs myself because I just don't have the time. The definitive source of rogue info is Spyware Warrior- Rogue-Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm





"National Cyber Alert System Cyber Security Alert SA09-223A Microsoft Updates for Multiple Vulnerabilities Original release date: August 11, 2009 Source: US-CERT Systems Affected * Microsoft Windows and Windows Server * Microsoft Office * Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2.0 Overview: Microsoft has released updates to address vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, Windows Server, Office Web Components and Remote Desktop Connection for Mac. Solution: Install updates The updates to address these vulnerabilities are available on the Microsoft Update site (requires Internet Explorer). We recommend enabling Automatic Updates. Description Microsoft has released multiple security bulletins for critical vulnerabilities in Windows, Windows Server, Office Web Components, and Remote Desktop Connection for Mac. These bulletins are described in the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for August 2009. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to gain control of your computer or cause it to crash. References * Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for August 2009 - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms09-aug.mspx "



An I.D. Theft Story

The victim, Mark Donaldson (Hey that's me!), who suffers from insomnia wakes up at 5am, on Monday 7-27, satisfied that his sleeping medication gave him 5 decent hours of sleep. After taking care of his normal functions he checks his email. One email is from the bank that handles his credit card informing him of an online charge of $25.96 on Sunday that he never made. He immediately called the credit card company, at 6:30 am, and informed them of a possible I.D. theft. The credit card company said they would close that card's number and send him a new card along with a charge dispute form. He doesn't go online for his daily checking of websites because he has an 8am doctors appointment for a scheduled routine check-up. While at the doctor's office his wife, Dee, receives a computer phone call from the credit card company to call them back. When he returns home, at 10:30 am, he calls them and finds another charge, for over $400, was attempted after his card was suspended. The representative told him that the charge was denied and that a fraud investigator will review this and call him later in the week. He eats a late breakfast since he had fasting blood tests and decides to take a nap to prevent sleep deprivation. After a short but refreshing nap he scans his computer with Avast, SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Avast found nothing. SUPERAntiSpyware found 2 tracking cookies. One was from Fox News and they other was from a computer discounter. They were deleted. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware said that Registry Trash Keys Finder 3.7.0 was Malware.packer. Since this was a standalone/portable program installed on the secondary drive and has never been used it is improbable that it was causing a problem and may be a false positive. To be sure the program was deleted. He then goes online for his daily sites knowing that there was never a security breach on his end and some company he's done business with probably had their data stolen.

Cost to secure my credit card......Nothing

Time needed to correct problem......About 30 minutes

How it feels to be secure......Priceless

Update August 7 2009. I was never contacted by a fraud investigator. Mark.

Update August 14 2009. I received a letter from the fraud department saying to call them if I have any questions. Mark.



They Tried To Scam Me

I got 2 new scam emails this week. You can see it online today at http://luem42.googlepages.com/sub.html or tomorrow at http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html . Mark



Here They Are


Hello,
I got your contact from a professional database when I was
searching through the internet for a reliable, honest and
trustworthy person to entrust this with. I was simply
inspired and motivated to pick your details from the many
names in the list of the directory. I am Mr.Martin Luther
Former Accountant of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ghana
my office monitors and controls the affairs of all banks and
Financial institutions in Ghana concerned with foreign
contract payments.I am the final signatory to any transfer
or remittance of huge funds moving within banks both on the
local and international levels in line to foreign contracts
settlement.
I have before me list of funds, which could not be
transferred to some nominated accounts as these accounts
have been identified either as ghost accounts, unclaimed
deposits and over-invoiced sum etc. I can now include your
name among the people expecting the funds to be transferred
into their account, on this note; I wish to have a deal with
you as regards to this unpaid funds. I have all the files
before me and hope to fix your data's correctly once i hear
from you as one of the beneficiaries.
As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus
funds to the Government Treasury and Reserve Accounts as
unclaimed deposits, I have the opportunity to write you
based on this instructions,
I received two days ago from the parliamentary Committee on
Contract Payments/Foreign Debts to submit the List of
payment reports/expenditures and audited reports of
revenues. Among several others, I have decided to remit your
contract sum following my idea that we have a deal/agreement
and I am going to do this legally.
My conditions are as follows: 1. The sum of USD$7.540.000.00
only will be transferred to you. After you have confirmed
the transfer of the total sum into your account by
telegraphic Transfer (T/T), confirmable in 3 Working days. I
will fly to your country to meet with you for the sharing.
The sharing will go like this: 15% for you and 85% for me.
If you are comfortable with this, you can get back to me
with your details.
2. This deal must be kept secret forever, and all
correspondence will be strictly by email and telephone, for
security purposes. You must assure me of your 100%
commitment and attention to enable us conclude this
transaction in a couple of days. 3. There should be no third
parties as most problems associated with such transactions
or businesses are caused by agents or representatives. If
you AGREE with my conditions, l will advise you on what to
do immediately and the transfer will commence without delay
as I will proceed to fix your name on the Payment schedule
instantly to meet the three days mandate.
CONTACT ME VIA MY PRIVATE EMAIL: luthermartin1o DeleteThis @hotmail.com
Best Wishes
Martin Luther.


I am Capt. Michael Scholl,assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, western Anbar Province in Iraq. I have a business suggestion for you which is most beneficial for both of us, it is risk free and fail proof, if you are interested kindly get back to me on my personal email below for more details.


Respectfully,
Capt. Michael Scholl.
capt.michael_schol1 DeleteThis @yahoo.com.hk
United States Marine Corps. IRAQ.



Apple patches 18 Mac vulnerabilities, ships OS X 10.5.8. Fixes flaws in six critical image file bugs hackers could use to snatch Macs: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136311/Apple_patches_18_Mac_vu...rabilit

Cash for Clunkers Scams Flourish Amid Confusion. Scambusters.org: http://www.scambusters.org/cashforclunkers.html

Cyber attackers empty business accounts in minutes. Fraudsters are taking advantage of the widely used but obscure Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network in order to pull off their attacks: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136334/Cyber_attackers_empty_b...ness_ac

FAQ- The ins and outs of DoS attacks: http://ct.cnet-ssa.cnet.com/clicks?t=332951323-be56918137808c8d29d6177...a633af-

IS YOUR ROUTER SECURE: http://askbobrankin.com/securing_your_router.html

Java SE6 Update Fixes Exploit Linked to ActiveX Flaw - Infopackets.com: http://www.infopackets.com/news/security/2009/20090807_java_se6_update...xes_exp

Microsoft to fix critical Windows, Office holes: http://ct.cnet-ssa.cnet.com/clicks?t=332951329-be56918137808c8d29d6177...a633af-

New. Hotspot Shield gives you a simple solution to maintain your anonymity and protect your privacy when accessing free wi-fi hotspots: http://www.anchorfree.com/hotspot-shield/

Office, Windows get critical patches: http://ct.cnet-ssa.cnet.com/clicks?t=343607989-be56918137808c8d29d6177...a633af-

Protect yourself from Phishing attempts and Identitiy Theft: http://chris.pirillo.com/password-and-phishing-protection/

Update. AVG AntiVirus Free 8.5.409a1634: http://free.avg.com/

Update. GMER 1.0.15.15020 Rootkit Detector and Remover: http://www.gmer.net/
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Consumer News and Links



Just another good reason to subscribe and get this info before it expires

From http://www.consumerworld.org/

Credit Cards Adding New Fangled Fees, Including One for NOT Using Your Card
Should You Trust Health Information Found Online?
How States Compare on Various Taxes [pdf]
Top 1% in Income Pay More Tax than Bottom 95% Combined
TV Ads Coming to Video on Demand, Elsewhere
Top 10 Recession-Related Scams
In the Recession, Buyers Becoming Hagglers
Tech Sites with History of Accuracy
Continental Uses Virtual Agent to Answer Questions
Vehicle History Reports May be Incomplete
The Universal Laws of Computer Technology (funny)
Radio Shack Changes Name to "The Shack"
Consumer Reports Now Rating Hospital Experiences
New Hi-Tech Med: Computer Chip Embedded in Pills!
Change/Cancellation Fees are Windfall for Airlines
Comparing 2010 Toyota Prius with Honda Insight
Study: When a Tightwad Marries a Spendthrift pdf
Who is Responsible for a Deceased Relative's Debts?
New Fannie Mae Rules May Hinder Condo Sales
Selling Goods w/UPCs Removed May be Illegal
More Docs Want Their $ Before You Leave Their Office
FTC Rethinking Approach to Online Privacy
Banks Getting Picky Who They Give Cards to
Tainted Chinese Drywall Leaves FL Homeowners Sick, Stuck
Should You Reconsider Buying CDW on Rental Cars?
In Lieu of a Search Error, Comcast Tests Delivering Ads
Gov't Advocates New Water Saver: Peeing in the Shower!
Online Scams Prey on the Jobless
New FTC Chief Poised to Add More Protection for Consumers
2009 Sales Tax Holidays States and Dates
New Rules Let FTC Go After Gas Price Manipulation
Apple Seeks Patent to Detect Consumer Abuse of Products so It Can Deny Warranty Coverage
NY Times Fires Ben Stein After Appearing in Freescore.com Ads
Uncle Sam Said Your Computer is My Computer!



From: The TopSavings.com Team http://www.TopSavings.com

Eat Free @ Arby's on Wednesdays w/ Purchase (US)

You can go to Arby's every Wednesday and get free food. Here is the
schedule:


August 19th - Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase
August 26th - Free Regular Beef 'n Cheddar with any soft drink purchase


10 Things Your Veterinarian Won't Tell You: http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/10-things-your-veterinaria...ont-tel

2009 tax holiday schedule. Fifteen states are offering shoppers back-to-school sales-tax holidays this year. The participating jurisdictions are listed below alphabetically: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/2009-tax-holiday-schedule-1.aspx

Banks make $38bn from overdraft fees: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/43d18c68-851d-11de-9a64-00144feabdc0,Authorise...alse.ht

Bottled Water Costs ~ Technobabble: http://www.lockergnome.com/technobabble/2009/08/11/bottled-water-costs/

College textbook rental. Clark tells you how.: http://lmax.clarkhoward.com/t/12905338/729041/85321/0/

Consumer Reports. How to Avoid Expensive Car Repairs. expensive car repair nightmares: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/september-2009/car...ar-prob

Credit card report card. Got one of these in your wallet-: http://lmax.clarkhoward.com/t/12905338/729041/85311/0/

Extended auto warranty provider USfidelis stinks. Consumer Reports has investigated this popular outfit and is warning people away from them: http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/07/30/16326/

Extended auto warranty provider USfidelis stinks. Consumer Reports reveals that USfidelis told them customers are not allowed to see their contract until after they purchase it: http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/07/30/16326/

Free Raw Minerals Cosmetics Trial (S&H) at Top Savings: http://www.topsavings.com/index.asp?ID=20766&tfsnews=yes

Grocery & Printable Coupons at GroceryCouponsUSA.com: http://www.grocerycouponsusa.net/?utm_source=emaff&utm_medium=cpa&...;utm_ca

How Debit Cards Fleece Consumers. system is actually rigged against consumers: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/CreditCardSmarts/how-debi...ards-fl

I Crave Free Stuff: http://www.icravefreestuff.com/

JetBlue offers $599 pass for unlimited flights in a month: http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/12/news/companies/jetblue_unlimited_fligh...ass/ind

Kids Eat Free at Fazoli's On August Weekends: http://fazolis.com/10best

Mouse Print. Good News Creeps into Credit Card Increase Notices: http://www.mouseprint.org/

PayPal targets students, parents with debit cards : http://ct.cnet-ssa.cnet.com/clicks?t=342697567-be56918137808c8d29d6177...a633af-

The Best Free Samples on the internet: http://www.thebestfreesamples.com/

U.S. National Park Service Fee-Free Weekend Parks (by state): http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm

What's The Cost- - Become debt free at WhatsTheCost.com: http://www.whatsthecost.com/
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Windows Secrets Newsletter

Free content posted on Aug. 13, 2009:


TOP STORY
By Susan Bradley
Sun, Apple, Microsoft install chaff with patches
Microsoft pushes IE 8 as "critical" to your PC
Let's put a halt to any marketing in updates

KNOWN ISSUES
By Dennis O'Reilly
Gmail activity log helps you detect hijacking
Microsoft's ambiguous advice on strong passwords
Ensure passwords remain useful to your heirs

WACKY WEB WEEK
By Stephanie Small
Water fights that will make you cry uncle

http://WindowsSecrets.com/comp/090813
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Make My Start Page Your Home Page I have updated it on 6-25-2009 with Twitter

Try my start page and make it your home page by clicking "Click here to make my start page your default homepage".

It has the following convenient logins and links such as: Google Mail Login, Yahoo Mail Login, Windows Live MSN HotMail Login, Froogle Price Search, Google Maps, MySpace Login, Lockergnome Cool Web Links, Weather Radar, BugMeNot, E! Online, Zap2it TV Guide, Snopes, Scambusters, YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter and links to my webpages. You can also google the web or my website. It also has a link for your suggestions so you can help me make it better.

The best thing about it is it's simple, small and loads up on dialup in less than one second. Check it out today at: http://luem42.googlepages.com/start.html
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Space Weather News for Aug. 4, 2009

POSSIBLE PERSEID METEOR OUTBURST: This year's Perseid meteor shower could be even better than usual. According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, a filament of comet dust has drifted across Earth's path and when Earth passes through it, sometime between 0800 and 0900 UT (1 - 2 am PDT) on August 12th, the Perseid meteor rate could surge to twice its normal value. Check http://spaceweather.com for details and observing tips.

PERSEIDS ON YOUR iPHONE: Spaceweather.com is pleased to announce a new iPhone/iPod application dedicated to the upcoming Perseid meteor shower. It features a Perseid countdown clock, news alerts, an easy-to-use sky map, and a live gallery of photos from around the world. Sky watchers of all types will find it a valuable companion when the shower peaks later this month.

Learn more: http://spaceweather.com/perseids
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COOLSITES 76 cool links

I harvest what I believe to be the best links from the best sources that are safe, fun, informative, useful and just plain cool. I categorize them and edit their descriptions for clarity. I may make comments about the links but you will know because I always sign them with "Mark".

To see the full newsletter with all of the COOLSITES links please click and bookmark this link: http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html and check it each week. Thank you. Mark.